Description

The first official mintage of the large cent was in 1793, and its production continued until 1857, when it was officially replaced by the modern-size one-cent coin. Robert Scot redesigned the whole of United States coinage for 1796, applying a new design featuring a bust of Liberty wearing a drapery at the neckline and a ribbon in her flowing hair. The Draped Bust Large Cent represented the fourth design for the denomination and replaced the previous Liberty Cap Cent.

• The new obverse was paired with three different reverses (Reverse of 1794, Reverse of 1795, and a new reverse that would continue through 1807).
• 1796 cents also include a LIHERTY obverse (the "H" is actually a B over inverted B) and a stemless reverse.
• 1797 large cents are found with normal and stemless reverses, gripped and plain edges.
• The first overdate of the type occurred in 1798 when the 8 over 7 variety appears. Minor changes were made to Liberty's hair in 1798 for cosmetic reasons.
• 1799 is the rarest date of the series and includes both normal and 1799/8 varieties.
• 1800 includes two overdates: 1800/1798 and 1800 80 over 79.
• The 1801 "Three Errors" reverse includes a fraction that reads 1/000, a wreath that has only one stem, and the U of UNITED is made with two capital I's. Another 1801 error shows the fraction as 1/000 with the first 0 corrected to a 1.
• 1802 had some varieties have a stemless wreath or a fraction that reads 1/000.
• 1803 includes a stemless variety, a corrected fraction, and different combinations of Large and Small dates with Large and Small fractions (the rarest being the Large Date/Small Fraction variety).
• 1804 is another rare year in this series. An odd, private restrike combines an 1804 obverse die (corrected from 1803) with a reverse of an 1820 cent.
• 1807 boasts a pair of overdates: the one with the Small 1807/6 being an especially rare variety. Also included in 1807 are Large and Small Fractions and a "Comet" variety that shows a long die break behind Liberty's head that looks like a comet streaking through the skies.

In 1808, John Rech's Classic Head design replaced the Draped Bust type.